ZIP code
21641
in Hillsboro, MarylandPopulation 127
55.81/ 100
Ranked #8,497 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 26%)
Ranked #277 of 458 Maryland ZIPs (bottom 40%)
Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.
What defines this ZIP
Metrics where this ZIP sits in the tails of the national distribution — the ones that most set it apart. Select any tile for its definition and methodology.
Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the bottom 2.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS2ndDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
0.00%
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
46.4%
in the top 4.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the bottom 5.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS5thDefinition & source ›
This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
98.2%
in the top 7.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST84thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 11.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS11thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
23.6%
in the top 12.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS88thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
26.3 mi
in the top 33% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS67thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›The read
Hillsboro, Maryland (ZIP 21641), on the composite measure, lands in the top 26% healthiest ZIPs nationally (8,497th) and the bottom 40% of Maryland (277th).
The profile cuts both ways, and the readings bear that out: modeled expected annual loss settles in the bottom 2.0% nationally, transportation noise stands at the national minimum, and disaster risk is in the bottom 5.2% nationally. Home broadband subscription rests in the top 7.1% nationally. Households without a vehicle sits at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Modeled loud transportation noise registers at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs. Walkability lands in the top 11.0% nationally, and modeled industrial-pollution burden resides in the bottom 11.1% nationally. Working the other way, housing-cost burden lies in the top 4.6% nationally. Fiber broadband settles at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs.
Set against the neighboring ZIPs, walkability runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In everyday language, expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 21625, just across the boundary.
What’s driving this score
Nine domains make up the ZipVitals Score — here is how this ZIP does on each, and how much each one counts.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 65%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 67%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 72%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 64%
11%
Disability
healthier than 81%
7%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 50%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 48%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 50%
5%
Holding it back
Healthcare Access
healthier than 34%
5%
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 52%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 56%
14%
Disability
healthier than 55%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 41%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 27%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 35%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 38%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 18%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 26%
5%
“Share” is how much of this ZIP’s score the domain accounts for. Percentages are rounded; higher is healthier in every domain. How the score works, and who it compares you with ›
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
21625
Marylandshares a border
Score 57.76
Closest healthier
21657
Marylandless than 0.1 mi away
Score 57.33
Similar health profile
18602
Pennsylvania98% similar profile
Score 61.79
How these were chosen: only ZIPs with a published Score appear — a nearby ZIP with too little data to score won’t. Nearby means closest by distance between ZIP boundaries, which can cross state lines. A similar health profile is a close match across the nine Score domains, not similar demographics. Distances are measured between ZIP boundaries — ZIPs that touch share a border. How distance is measured
Evidence
Every measure this page draws on, by source. Collapsed by default — the full data stays in the page for search engines either way.
Health OutcomesCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Arthritis among adults | 28.1% | 25.2–30.9 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 35.9% | 32.4–39.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.4% | 7.5–9.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.3% | 10.0–12.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.9% | 4.9–6.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.6% | 5.2–8.1 |
| Depression among adults | 23.5% | 20.3–26.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.9% | 9.3–12.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.0% | 34.2–41.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.2% | 32.4–43.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.1% | 2.6–3.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 7.7% | 6.1–9.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.3% | 6.4–10.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 74.7% | 71.8–77.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.0% | 74.8–81.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.4% | 86.4–90.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 69.5% | 65.3–73.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 68.6% | 65.3–71.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.9% | 72.3–84.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.5% | 13.7–19.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.2% | 10.3–16.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 21.3% | 17.2–25.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.8% | 31.7–42.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 16.1% | 13.1–19.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.7% | 14.5–19.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.0% | 10.1–14.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.5% | 11.3–15.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 26.4% | 22.1–30.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.0% | 5.1–6.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.8% | 5.6–8.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 11.1% | 9.0–13.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.1% | 2.5–3.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.9% | 3.3–4.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.9% | 19.3–27.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.8% | 9.8–16.1 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.3% | 7.7–13.2 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.5% | 9.2–14.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.9% | 5.6–8.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.3% | 28.6–38.2 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.2% | 5.9–8.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 23.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (1.1–19.3%) n=459 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 2.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.8% (0.0–13.1%) n=459 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 13.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.5–16.6%) n=463 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 15.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.3% (15.0–64.4%) n=463 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.9% (0.0–8.6%) n=457 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.2% (0.0–12.4%) n=457 |
| Broadband subscription | 98.2% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.3% (81.2–100.0%) n=457 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 46.4% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.0% (12.0–41.8%) n=457 |
| Homeownership rate | 69.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (49.9–98.5%) n=457 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=457 |
| Foreign-born population | 3.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.2% (0.0–26.4%) n=464 |
| Single-parent households | 61.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (34.0–73.3%) n=450 |
| Population 65+ | 30.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.0% (10.9–33.1%) n=464 |
| Median age | 58.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (34.2–57.2) n=460 |
| Median household income | $66,875 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $106,181 ($62,879–$172,423) n=419 |
| Median home value | $254,200 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $423,400 ($215,180–$683,660) n=427 |
| Median gross rent | $955 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $1,626 ($958–$2,415) n=339 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 75.9 yr ± 2.06 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 79.5 yr (75.7–82.7) n=451 |
About the ± — it’s this estimate’s give-or-take (statisticians call it the standard error). The true life expectancy for this ZIP most likely falls within 2.06 years of 75.9, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.
More ZIPs to explore ▾More ZIPs to explore ▴
How these lists were built: they draw only from ZIPs that have a published Score, so ZIPs with too little data to score are not listed. Distance-based lists use distance between ZIP boundaries with no state filter, so an out-of-state ZIP can appear. Statistically similar means a close match across the nine Score domains, not a demographic match: the measure is the cosine similarity between two ZIPs’ domain scores, taken over the domains both ZIPs have data for and only where that overlap covers at least six of the nine — and where no ZIP clears that minimum-overlap floor, that list is left out rather than filled with a weak match. How distance is measured